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Richland County panel gets update on ambulance contracts as attorney discloses conflict
Summary
The Executive & Finance Committee heard that nine municipalities signed on to county ambulance services, three remain in negotiation and one declined. A local attorney disclosed a conflict of interest on the ambulance matter and will step back; supervisors voted to forward a conflict-resolution item to the full county board.
The Richland County Executive and Finance Committee received an update on the county’s ambulance contracts and moved a conflict-resolution about legal representation to the full county board.
During the Nov. meeting, the county administrator told the committee that nine municipalities have agreed to use the county’s ambulance services for next year, three are still negotiating and one has declined and will contract with another provider. The administrator said the goal is to have all signed contracts returned by Dec. 2.
The administrator also described a contractual minimum-payment clause: if a municipality’s call volume does not meet the contractual threshold, the municipality must pay a minimum amount. As discussed in committee, that minimum is $2,500 under the county’s contract; the transcript records a per-call figure of $2.25 for current township billing, and county staff contrasted the two calculations.
At the meeting, a public commenter, Sharon Schmitz, urged county and municipal leaders to collaborate to preserve ambulance service, saying, “We are dealing with lives, your lives, our lives, and the lives of our family and friends,” and urging that experienced members be included on any new working group.
Separately, the committee considered a report from Attorney Wendell notifying the county of a conflict in simultaneous representation of the city and county on the ambulance issue; the administrator said Wendell would step back from ambulance-related representation. The committee reviewed a resolution in the meeting packet that preserves use of the county’s counsel for other matters but disqualifies them from ambulance representation where a conflict exists. The committee voted to forward that resolution to the full county board for consideration.
The committee did not adopt final contract language at the meeting; staff said attorneys are finishing final details in negotiations with three municipalities and that signed contracts are expected by early December. The meeting record shows the committee approved forwarding conflict and related items to the full board for final action.
What’s next: The conflict-resolution and any finalized ambulance contracts will appear on the full county board agenda; staff will return with any executed agreements and schedules for implementation.
